California summer shines in classic Santa Cruz

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Jefferson Graham brings his camera to the ocean-side city of Santa Cruz, Calif., which is technically considered Central California, but it's Northern California to the folks in nearby Silicon Valley which use it as their beach playground. Get a glimpse of the ocean, classic Beach Boardwalk, downtown and the creatures of Santa Cruz in this gallery. Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY

The set-up for shooting early morning time-lapses of Santa Cruz. An iPhone 8 Plus strapped onto a tripod and set to record for one hour, which produces 30 seconds of time-lapse footage. Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY

From the air, visitors on rides such as the Sky Glider have a commanding view of Monterey Bay, right next to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, one of the few coastal communities with a full, functioning amusement park directly by the sea.(Photo: Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY)

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Sol Lipman is a Silicon Valley veteran who has worked for such companies as AOL and Yahoo and commuted to tech hubs in Palo Alto and Sunnyvale, California, for years.

But when it came time to launch a new startup (YaDoggie, a subscription dog food company), he was adamant that it be based in his hometown, just a few miles away from the heart of the tech scene, but eons apart in lifestyle.

With its rugged coast, nearby mountains and arguably one of the best spots for surfing in California, Santa Cruz, (population 65,000) says Lipman, is a “unique gem,” that’s “incomparable to any other place in the Bay Area."

Unlike their monied neighbors in the Valley, Santa Cruz citizens seem to value lifestyle over status. "There's something about wandering through the redwoods and feeling the ocean breeze that keeps us grounded, reminding us to enjoy life. It helps us to pursue our passions – whether a startup, a mural or a mountain-bike ride."

Santa Cruz is also a magnet for tourists in the summer months, when the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is open seven days a week, one of the few coastal communities with a full, functioning amusement park directly by the sea. Visitors can ride the 1924 wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster with its commanding views of Monterey Bay.

The area attracts beachgoers from Silicon Valley and San Francisco (a 90-minute drive up the coast) who have their own beaches, but the old quote “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” explains why so many make the drive. Santa Cruz does have foggy mornings, but once that fog burns off, the weather gets traditional summer-warm.

Beyond the Boardwalk, tourists can enjoy the funky arts-filled downtown Main Street collection of mom-and-pop shops, galleries and foodie fare. Town boosters push the surf as well, even if you’re not a surfer.

Indeed, Surfer.com recently called Santa Cruz the No. 2 best surf town in the United States (sandwiched in-between two small communities on Oahu and Maui, Hawaii) for "abundant surf," the short 45-minute hop to Silicon Valley or slightly longer to San Francisco, "and access to massive expanses of natural beauty."

After exploring the beach and historic downtown, which dominates the town, other things to do in Santa Cruz include:

Hiking and cycling. SantaCruz.org lists a large collection of waterfront walks and areas for mountain-bike rides through the redwoods. For hikes, areas recommended include DeLaveaga Park and Quail Hollow Ranch, which both have free admission. A fun visit to the redwoods should also include University of California Santa Cruz, where the arboretum offers self-guided tours of the UCSC Farm & Alan Chadwick Garden every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Mystery Spot, a fun attraction in the California redwoods that calls itself a "gravitational anomaly" that wows visitors with "puzzling variations of gravity, perspective and height.."

The Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse Museum houses the Santa Cruz surfing museum. And you can see some pretty amazing surfers in action from Lighthouse Point, too.(Photo: Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY)

Best surf spots: Santa Cruz is the birthplace of mainland surfing in the United States and is known for its surfing because of the multiple point breaks that offer consistently good waves – small, medium and huge. There are 29 miles of coastline in Santa Cruz County, with Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point key surf spots frequented by seasoned wave riders. Head to scenic West Cliff Drive by the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse to watch some amazing surfing, even if you don't feel like jumping in the water (you shouldn't, unless you know what you're doing), recommends Christina Glynn of the Santa Cruz County Film Commission. If you can't find it, just ask a local where the surf statue is. Steamer Lane is just up the road.

If you go…
Santa Cruz is off the beaten path, and not on the main Highway 101 that runs from Los Angeles to San Francisco. For those arriving by air, fly to the Mineta San Jose International Airport, rent a car and drive up Route 17 to get to Santa Cruz. If you’re driving from the south, take 101 to Route 1 in Castroville, about 30 minutes away from Santa Cruz.

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Morning in Manhattan Beach, California, a quiet time of colors, birds, surfers and peace. The most magical time in a small classic California beach town. A gallery of images by USA TODAY's Jefferson Graham, who lives in Manhattan Beach Jefferson Graham

Going under the Manhattan Beach Pier is a favorite of local photographers, residents and tourists. Here, in this iPhone Long Exposure trick, Jefferson Graham used the software tool on the phone to make the water flow. Jefferson Graham

The bicycle lane of the Strand at Christmastime, early morning, before the cyclists have come out. The Marvin Braude bike trail extends all the way from Torrance Beach to the south all the way north to Pacific Palisades. Jefferson Graham

During the holidays. the coty of Manhattan Beach decks the Roundhouse on the Pier with holiday lights. They are still lit in the mornings, and generally get turned off around 6 a.m.This shot was taken at 5:45 a.m. Jefferson Graham

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The Haystacxk Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon. At 228 feet, it is considered the third largest rock structure in the world, created by lava so many years ago.
Join us on our photo tour of Cannon Beach Jefferson Graham

The Tillamook Rock Light, a deactivated lighthouse off the coast of Cannon Beach, Oregon. It is located approximately 1.2 miles offshore--the best views are from the shores of Cannon or the nearby Ecola State Park. Jefferson Graham

The Tufted Puffins are a rare bird that show up atop the Haystack Rock in spring and early summer, and are considered the town mascot. This photograph was taken with the Sony RX10IV camera, which has a 600mm lens, and looking up 200 feet into the rock. It was then blown up several times, hence the graininess. Jefferson Graham